Yaduataba Crested Iguana Sanctuary

Yadua Taba is a volcanic islet off the coast of Fiji, located between the northern island of Vanua Levu and the larger island of Yadua. On the island of Yaduataba, the Crested Iguana, Brachylophus vitiensis, is seen in huge numbers. The National Trust of Fiji won a management agreement for the uninhabited island and adjacent coral reefs, and established it as Fiji's first wildlife sanctuary in 1980 after the discovery of a crested iguana on the tiny island in 1979 sparked public attention. When the iguana population was discovered in 1979, the Fiji government stepped forward to safeguard the island. According to Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the sanctuary is of national significance.

The uninhabited island is a rainshadow island, with an annual rainfall of less than 180cm. Beech forest, invasive Casuarina scrub, abandoned copra plantations, coastal scrub, and grassland make up the vegetation. Migratory birds, tree skinks, and geckos are the only animals found here. The species is mostly arboreal, only coming down to the forest floor to oviposit. Both sexes are omnivorous, and males are territorial. Yadua Taba is also unique in that it features tropical dry forest flora, which is one of the world's most endangered (if not the most endangered) vegetation kinds!

Location: Vanua Levu Group, Fiji